Swim coaches complete Development Clinic

Saturday, November 21, 2009 5:47 PM

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BY PAUL BURROWES Observer writer

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

TWENTY-NINE participants have broadened their swimming horizons after a five-day Levels One and Two FINA Coaches Development Clinic which ended Sunday at the office of the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), Cunningham Avenue.

FINA COACHES DEVELOPMENT CLINIC: Level Five facilitator and speaker Guy Edson (seated right) and national coach Jackie Walter with participants of the FINA Coaches Development Clinic, which ended Sunday at the Jamaica Olympic Association offices. (Photo: Paul Burrowes)

Level Five clinic facilitator and speaker of the American Swimming Coaches Association (ASAC), Guy Edson, conducted the course for participants drawn from the leading swimming clubs and schools. A few were parents, but the majority coach at swimming clubs and schools.

American Edson, who was visiting Jamaica for the 10th time, noted that he focused participants on ASAC's foundations of coaching and strokes score manual.

"We also did a couple of courses on how to write workouts and how to do season training plans," he said.

According to Edson, one of the America's most respected coaches, Jamaica needs facilities to become a world leader in swimming.

"You need room to train, room to grow. With the stadium pool being closed down now, that presents a big difficulty.

"Many of these teams are sharing the pool at the same time, so you have competing clubs in the pool together, and that's not a good situation.

"The successful swimmers coming out of Jamaica have come from programmes where the coach has the room and the time to work with smaller groups of swimmers so that they can help them become as good as they can be.

"The sports culture in Jamaica is tremendous, so why can't they have swimmers here of the same quality as the track people? The talent is certainly here.

"Right now, there are little young Usains (Bolt) out there and we need to get them into the swimming pool. Some day, in my mind, Jamaica is gonna have the Usain equivalent in the swimming pool," he said.

Meanwhile, national coach Jackie Walter, who also attended the clinic, said she always learns something new at Levels One and Two courses.

Those attending the course included Michael Anderson of Blue Seals Club; Brenton Armstrong, Marie Bennett, Prince Easton, and Michael Wilson of Y Speedos Club; Syreeta Biggs, Dellan Brown, Miguel Jonas of Tornadoes Club; Everton Brown of Dolphins Club; Nathan Brown of Marlins Club, Traci Callendaer of The Queens School; Matthew Campbell of Royal Club; Suzie Harris of St Andrew High School; Wendy Lee of Hillel Academy; Andy McDonald of Knox; and Neville White of St Hugh's High School.

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